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kaptainkate's review against another edition
3.75
Fascinating for anyone interested in the future development of our cities. But lost a full star for the sheer amount of fatphobia throughout both the original text and the updated section.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Fatphobia
hollandvk's review against another edition
4.0
I am a big fan of improving urban walkability and this is a decent lens to view the many cities I've traveled to and consider why I loved them. While reading Speck's 10 steps, I continually thought about how it could be applied to Phoenix. Fortunately, I think Phoenix is on the right track and the author has been here before for city planning symposiums. I hope plans for linear parks around the canals, new bike lanes, expanded transit and a focus on the neighborhoods revitalizes the city of Phoenix. My biggest question in regards to the 10 steps and desert cities is what trees do you plant? Phoenix can't support deciduous trees and the local trees do not provide the same benefits.
chloe_601's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
4.25
This book is very informative on how city design and urban fabric impacts our daily lives, and how making cities more walkable not only helps a city financially, but is vital from an environmental perspective, a public health standpoint, and as a tool in making communities more equitable for marginalised/ vulnerable people.
I did find some language outdated, and the author is clearly a cis straight man, but he backs up the points he makes with real data and anecdotes that add credibility. And the 10th anniversary updates addressed a lot of initial criticisms I had.
I’m interested in reading more books about urbanism now, and especially ones more at a “what can we as citizens do” rather than just books written with other planners/local government in mind.
I did find some language outdated, and the author is clearly a cis straight man, but he backs up the points he makes with real data and anecdotes that add credibility. And the 10th anniversary updates addressed a lot of initial criticisms I had.
I’m interested in reading more books about urbanism now, and especially ones more at a “what can we as citizens do” rather than just books written with other planners/local government in mind.
m36h4n's review against another edition
Very very dense. Couldn’t keep going each time and it was due back at the library
mashedpotaylorz's review against another edition
3.5
Man, this book really dragged for me—mostly due to it being not as close to my area of interest as I initially thought. But it did make me rethink my transit usage!
alexgeorge's review against another edition
hopeful
informative
fast-paced
3.0
felt a bit neoliberal with a lot of complaints about car centricity shown to be a result of its lack of linkage with the free market but i guess thats also how you market walkability to those not already interested in it.
a lot of emphasis on the creative class which i'm not personally all too enamoured with but that might be a result of its year of publishing.
a lot of the bureaucratic walkable improvements seem to be a result of grassroots movements, a result of this book being focused on a planner's experience.
overall probably wasn' best for me, and those who are already fans of walkability, unless they are looking for talking points on how to pitch it to others.
a lot of emphasis on the creative class which i'm not personally all too enamoured with but that might be a result of its year of publishing.
a lot of the bureaucratic walkable improvements seem to be a result of grassroots movements, a result of this book being focused on a planner's experience.
overall probably wasn' best for me, and those who are already fans of walkability, unless they are looking for talking points on how to pitch it to others.
lalaoblivion's review against another edition
5.0
I loved it. I learned so much that I know I’m going to need to read it again.